New Computational Approaches to Understanding the Z Ring in Live Bacteria

by Mr. Guy Alis

Dept of Physics, BGU

at Biological and soft-matter physics

Thu, 29 Jan 2026, 12:10
Sacta-Rashi Building for Physics (54), room 207

Abstract

One of the fundamental characteristics of living organisms is their ability to reproduce. Owing to their relative simplicity, bacterial cell division has been extensively studied over the past sixty years. Yet, because of their small size, the internal structures of living bacteria remain challenging to resolve. This highlights the need for non-invasive methods that can overcome current resolution limits and uncover the inner mechanisms that enable bacteria to develop and proliferate.

In order for a bacterium to split into two, it first builds an internal ‘belt’ at its middle. This structure, called the Z ring, is made of a protein that assembles into a circular band just under the cell membrane. The Z ring acts like a flexible scaffold: it marks where the cell will divide and helps coordinate processes that lead to cell division. Even though it plays a central role, the small size and constantly changing shape make the Z ring difficult to observe directly in living cells.

In this talk, I will present a Monte-Carlo-based fitting strategy for identifying protein clusters within the Z ring. By using stochastic sampling to navigate a high dimensional parameter space, this approach overcomes the limitations of traditional deterministic fitting methods and yields high confidence cluster estimates. I will then introduce a robust method for tracking and characterizing protein dynamics, and briefly examine a complementary center of mass approach. Finally, I will present several simulation models at different levels of coarse graining that help interpret the physical principles driving Z ring organization.

Created on 09-01-2026 by Feingold, Mario (mario)
Updaded on 09-01-2026 by Feingold, Mario (mario)